Bread and Butter Foam LOCO Paddles

INTRODUCTION

Bread and Butter, one of the most innovative pickleball paddle manufacturers in the business, has just released three foam versions of its LOCO paddle – the Elongated, the Standard, and the Hybrid.

What Bread and Butter Says

  • Elongated – Designed for maximum leverage and reach, the Elongated LOCO pairs a 16 mm dual-density foam core with BnB’s CFC layup to deliver explosive power and a smooth, controlled feel.
  • Standard – Built for quick hands and precision placement, the Standard offers a generous sweet spot and plush feedback while maintaining enough pop to finish the point.
  • Hybrid – The best of both worlds, the Hybrid blends the reach and power of an elongated paddle with the maneuverability and touch of a standard. It’s marketed as a true all-court weapon with balanced control and pop.

My Initial Expectations

Before hitting the court, I had a few assumptions based on the specs:

  • The Elongated, with its higher swing weight, would deliver the most power but might be harder to maneuver. Its lower twist weight could make it less forgiving on off-center shots.
  • The Standard, with the lowest swing weight and higher twist weight, would likely offer more forgiveness and control but less raw power.
  • The Hybrid, falling between the two in swing weight yet boasting the highest twist weight, should provide the best overall control and balance.

To a certain degree, those expectations held true — but there were a few surprises. All three paddles have plenty of power, and despite their twist weight differences, each handled off-center hits beautifully. The Hybrid stood out for third-shot drops (a shot bangers often ignore), the Standard excelled in transition-zone resets, and the Elongated delivered the most punch on serves and groundstrokes — especially if you have a two-handed backhand.

SPECIFICATIONS

PaddleElongatedStandardHybrid
Weight Range7.8-8.0oz8.0-8.17.9-8.1
Swing Weight118-120108-110112-115
Twist Weight6.287.37.6
Length16.516.016.2
Width17.3758.07.6
Handle Length5.55.35.3
Handle Circumference4.254.254.25
Face MaterialT700 Raw CarbonT700 Raw CarbonT700 Raw Carbon
Foam TypeEPP & EVA BorderEPP & EVA BorderEPP & EVA Border
USAP ApprovedYesYesYes
Fiberglass LayerYesYesYes
Graphics UV PrintedYesYesYes

PERFORMANCE

POWER

All of the three Loco paddles have excellent power. In terms of groundstrokes and serves, however, the elongated paddle, having a higher swing weight and longer length, provides the most power. It is also the most powerful when it comes to third shot drives.

NET PLAY

Again, all three paddles have great performance when it comes to dink paddles, although I found that the standard paddle and the hybrid paddle both had a bit of a softer touch.

THIRD SHOT DROPS/TRANSITION ZONE

This is where the hybrid paddle excelled. The large sweet spot contributed to the soft feel on those shots, and the “pop” of that paddle made the shots effortless. The standard paddle came in a close-very close- second. The elongated paddle performed admirably, although it did not have the same plush feel as the other two.

LOBS OF A DINK

This is one of my favorite shots, and all three allowed me to disguise that shot and land the ball deep in the backcourt. Great performance.

BOTTOM LINE

You cannot go wrong with any of these paddles. If, however, you are a power player, go with the elongated paddle. If you are a finesse player, go with either the hybrid or standard paddle. If you are a finesse player who occasionally relies on power shots, go with the standard paddle.

COST

The price of the Loco paddles, regardless of which one you chose, is $199, very much in line with all the best foam paddles. However, if you follow this link and use the code GHANSEN15, you will get a 10% discount:   https://breadbutterpickleballco.sjv.io/0Z7QqN